National Museum of China, National museum in Tiananmen Square, China
The National Museum of China is a massive building on Tiananmen Square with galleries filled with objects spanning all periods of Chinese civilization. The collection ranges from ancient tools and weapons to ceramics, metalwork, and intricately carved stone pieces.
The building was completed in 1959 as one of the Ten Great Buildings marking the tenth anniversary of the People's Republic, facing the Great Hall of the People across Tiananmen Square. Its two wings housed the Museum of the Chinese Revolution and the National Museum of Chinese History, merged into the National Museum of China in 2003. After renovation by Gerkan, Marg and Partners, it reopened on 17 March 2011.
The permanent "Ancient China" display fills the entire basement level, arranged by dynasty from the Yuanmou Man to the Qing. Free guided tours start at 9:15, 9:45, 14:00 and 14:30 on open days and last two hours, meeting in the north entrance hall. The museum also displays the haycutter used to execute the revolutionary martyr Liu Hulan, and a sculpture of her made by Wang Zhaowen in 1951.
The building sits directly on the central square, making it easy to locate and reach. Plan to spend several hours exploring, as there are many galleries to walk through at your own pace.
The front of the building has carried countdown clocks since the 1990s, marking events such as the 1997 handover of Hong Kong, the 1999 handover of Macau, the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. The Houmuwu Ding, a Shang-dynasty bronze weighing 832.84 kg, is the heaviest ancient bronze vessel known.
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